35mm lens that says Germany on body and Canada on the front?

[drjho]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Anyone have any idea if this is common or what it might mean?

[luigi bertolotti]

Can you post a pair of pictures ?  I have seen other examples of this kind of "illogical" writings.. (on M lenses) .and if I remember correctly they belong to a specific timeframe (half of 60's around) : my idea is that it was not a real manufacturing mistake (*), but a question related to the contemporary production of same items in both factories... maybe in the context of a gradual shifting... so some parts made in Wetzlar could have been sent to Ontario and some were already identified as "made in Germany" 

Probably "the truth was in the BOX"... 😎 : I think that what was written on the box ("Leitz Wetzlar" or "Leitz Canada") did reflect univocally the factory it went out from.  

Another possibility could be related to items sent for maintenance and spare parts used for this...but I tend to my first hipotesis.

 

(*) "GERMAY" is a mistake... it is documented somewhere... 😉

[drjho]

Here are photos of the lens.  

 

 

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

Edited July 7, 2020 by drjho

[earleygallery]

Errr.........where does it have 'Canada' ?

[drjho]

It say Leitz Canada on the front.

[earleygallery]

You've just changed the photo, the one I saw said Leitz Wetzlar. What's happened?

[drjho]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I pulled the photos from my other lens and had them in the post before I realized.

 

[earleygallery]

Made in Germany doesn't actually mean made in Germany. It means that a sufficient proportion of the production of the lens happened in Germany for it to qualify to be stamped with Made in Germany.

My own Summicron (which I think is also a Canadian one) is in storage so I can't say for sure. I think it's just a typical Leica anomoly, or possibly the lens was repaired at some point with different parts.

[Michael Geschlecht]

Hello Drjho,

Welcome to the Forum.

Or, possibly the lens's glass components were made in Germany & it was assembled together with a lens mount made in Canada. In the Leitz plant in Midland Canada.

There  are also other possibilities. Leitz/Leica lenses, etc have many variations.

best Regards,

Michael

Edited July 8, 2020 by Michael Geschlecht

[drjho]

Thanks.  Just found it odd. I've used the lens for about two years and never noticed this before.

[wizard]

It just means the lens has two passports. It is entitled to enter both Canada and Germany without any tariffs becoming due ... .

[kodachrome]

The body would have to been assembled in Germany to have the Made In Germany

[Michael Geschlecht]

Hello Koadchrome;

Welcome to the Forum.

The engraving says "Lens Made In Germany".

Which could also mean that the optical portion without the mount was made in Germany.

best Regards,

Michael

 

 

[Alon]

We need to see the side of the lens showing the aperture and distance scale.

The front lens ref is 11215 and the body is 11217 .

This means that the lens parts have been substituted.

It is well worth noting that Leica work ethics would not allow such production practice.

A picture of the lend side could shed more light as the graphic typeface was revised.

Edited July 11, 2020 by Alon